James Chambers (pastoralist) facts for kids
James and John Chambers were two brothers who were among the first European settlers in South Australia. They left England in 1836 and became very successful farmers and ranchers, known as pastoralists. They were also very important in helping John McDouall Stuart explore Australia.
James and John, along with their wives (who were sisters) and young families, arrived in South Australia in early 1837. James arrived first on the ship Coromandel on January 17, 1837. The rest of the family arrived soon after.
It was sometimes hard to tell the brothers apart because they both signed their names "J. Chambers" and did many similar things. However, John wore a green patch over his blind right eye, so people at the time could easily tell them apart.
James Chambers' Life and Work
James Chambers (born September 21, 1811 – died August 7, 1862), often called "Jemmy," was born in London, England. He became a very successful grazier and pastoralist in South Australia. This means he owned large areas of land and raised many animals like sheep and cattle.
James was the first person to drive a team of bullocks (strong male cattle) between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, and also between Adelaide and Glenelg. This helped create important roads like Port Road and Bay Road. He also raised sheep in the area now known as Coromandel Valley.
He bought land in the new town of Adelaide and imported horses from Van Diemens Land (which is what Tasmania was called back then). He and his brother John had experience dealing with horses in England. They built a house on Montefiore Hill in North Adelaide.
James opened a stable in North Adelaide. He bought bullocks, wagons, and coaches to start a transport business. Around 1845, he won a contract to carry mail to Burra, a mining town. His business grew, carrying many passengers to mining areas north of Adelaide, including Gawler.
In 1853, James sold his transport business for a large sum of money. He then went on holiday to England. When he returned to Australia in 1856, he brought back many useful horses, cattle, and sheep.
James and his business partner William Finke discovered copper on one of their properties in the north. On July 23, 1857, they were given a lease for about eighty acres of land, which became known as the Oratunga Mine. They started the "Great Northern Copper Mining Company" and sold eleven mines over the years.
Helping Explorers and Lasting Names
James Chambers played a huge role in helping the famous explorer John McDouall Stuart. He provided most of the supplies and equipment for four of Stuart's six expeditions across Australia. His brother John helped with the first expedition, and the government helped with the last one.
Stuart's final expedition, which was very important, started with a big ceremony on October 25, 1861, from James's home in North Adelaide. Sadly, James died from an illness shortly after, without knowing that Stuart's expedition had been successful in crossing the continent.
Many places in Australia were named after James Chambers to remember his contributions:
- Chambers Creek and Chambers Hill in the Adelaide Hills.
- Chambers Pillar, River Chambers, and Chambers Range in Central Australia.
- Chambers Bay, near present-day Darwin, where the British flag was first raised.
Stuart also named the Katherine River (and the town of Katherine) after James's second daughter, Catherine. Other places like Anna Creek, Edwards Creek, and William Creek were named after John Chambers' children by other explorers.
